Last modified: 31 May 2022 13:05
This course focuses on representations of the male body in nineteenth-century art, from Neoclassicism over the Pre-Raphaelites to fin-de-siècle art. Subjects discussed range from ideals of androgynous beauty and Romantic ‘friendship’, to Orientalism, desire and perversion. We will discuss how the male body was aestheticised, sexualised and politicised in new ways – through close study of selected artworks, but also through engagement with recent critical theory.
| Study Type | Undergraduate | Level | 4 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Term | Second Term | Credit Points | 30 credits (15 ECTS credits) |
| Campus | Aberdeen | Sustained Study | No |
| Co-ordinators |
|
||
This course focuses on representations of the male body in nineteenth century art. With the pioneering work of J.J. Winckelmann, the ideal male body came to be appreciated as the epitome and most desirable standard of beauty. Winckelmann’s aesthetic, driven by homoerotic desires, coincides with major paradigm shifts in the fields of medicine, social and sexual politics. In this course, we will map how these constellations affected the perception of male sexuality, subjectivity, and corporeality in nineteenth-century European art.
The course will map key episodes in the artistic engagement with masculinity: from ideals of androgynous beauty and Romantic ‘friendship’, to Orientalism, desire and perversion. We will discuss how the male body was aestheticised, sexualised and politicised in new ways – through close study of selected artworks, but also through engagement with recent critical, queer, and feminist theory.
The course will focus on three constellations in particular: (1) Neoclassicism and the cult of the beautiful youth (David, Girodet, Thorvaldsen); (2) Pre-Raphaelitism and the Aesthetic Movement (Solomon, Leighton); (3) German fin-de-siècle art and its ‘queer conservativism’ (Marées, Böcklin).
Information on contact teaching time is available from the course guide.
| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 30 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | Feedback Weeks | |||
| Feedback |
Book review. |
Word Count | 3500 | |
| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Conceptual | Analyse | Show a critical understanding of discourses on sexuality and aesthetics in 19th century art. |
| Conceptual | Apply | Demonstrate a broad and integrated understanding of key movements, artists, and concepts of 19th century art, |
| Reflection | Analyse | To critically evaluate recent theoretical approaches from queer and gender studies in art history. |
| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 20 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | Feedback Weeks | |||
| Feedback |
Visual Test. Written feedback. In-person feedback on request. |
|||
| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Conceptual | Analyse | Show a critical understanding of discourses on sexuality and aesthetics in 19th century art. |
| Conceptual | Apply | Demonstrate a broad and integrated understanding of key movements, artists, and concepts of 19th century art, |
| Procedural | Analyse | Demonstrate confidence in researching, organising and delivering written and oral academic work in a class presentation on a defined topic and an essay on a self-defined topic. |
| Reflection | Analyse | To critically evaluate recent theoretical approaches from queer and gender studies in art history. |
| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 10 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | Feedback Weeks | |||
| Feedback |
Class participation and presentation. |
|||
| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Conceptual | Analyse | Show a critical understanding of discourses on sexuality and aesthetics in 19th century art. |
| Conceptual | Apply | Demonstrate a broad and integrated understanding of key movements, artists, and concepts of 19th century art, |
| Procedural | Analyse | Demonstrate confidence in researching, organising and delivering written and oral academic work in a class presentation on a defined topic and an essay on a self-defined topic. |
| Reflection | Analyse | To critically evaluate recent theoretical approaches from queer and gender studies in art history. |
| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 40 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | Feedback Weeks | |||
| Feedback |
Written feedback. In-person feedback on request. |
Word Count | 3500 | |
| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Conceptual | Analyse | Show a critical understanding of discourses on sexuality and aesthetics in 19th century art. |
| Conceptual | Apply | Demonstrate a broad and integrated understanding of key movements, artists, and concepts of 19th century art, |
| Procedural | Analyse | Demonstrate confidence in researching, organising and delivering written and oral academic work in a class presentation on a defined topic and an essay on a self-defined topic. |
There are no assessments for this course.
| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Conceptual | Apply | Demonstrate a broad and integrated understanding of key movements, artists, and concepts of 19th century art, |
| Reflection | Analyse | To critically evaluate recent theoretical approaches from queer and gender studies in art history. |
| Conceptual | Analyse | Show a critical understanding of discourses on sexuality and aesthetics in 19th century art. |
| Procedural | Analyse | Demonstrate confidence in researching, organising and delivering written and oral academic work in a class presentation on a defined topic and an essay on a self-defined topic. |
We have detected that you are have compatibility mode enabled or are using an old version of Internet Explorer. You either need to switch off compatibility mode for this site or upgrade your browser.
